I roll out of bed ataround 4:30 am even after a 1:00 am clock out at work a short 3.5 hours prior. My phone lies on my nightstand illuminated up with Nordstrom Rackemails, Tinder messages, and an option to reached Sleep.

Next step is usually a journey to the bathroom to wash the make up residue from my eyes I failed to getoff properly the night before. I head to the kitchen next, snap the eyelid on the Keurig for coffee and cracking two eggs for my omelette.

My green Herschel backpack is stuffed to the top with food, clothes, and other random items Ill need for the next several hours .

I pull my plaid pajama shorts off and change into a pair of multi-color gym shorts and a Lululemon tank. The stroll to the gym is a short 8 minutes where I begin my first undertaking of the day.

After a rain, I hop onto the metro to Court House station in Arlington, VA where my freelance marketing gig is. Outside the office is a giant mural, overloaded with every color in the spectrum. Step into the office and youll find boxes, several desks, and a keg of Yuengling light.

Hunter *, what are Saturdays for? THE Boy! He replies.

this is how my Tuesdays usually go.

My work uniform changes from gym clothes, to jeans paired with a cute shirt and then a transitionto a tight black tank usually wornwith dark-wash shorts and Converse-like nonslip shoes. A Flying Dog bottle opener usually hangs out of my back pocket as I head to my third task of the day.

Work opinions are brew taps and a dusty Absolut Oak bottle that is never utilized. Networking is chatting up bar guests with the occasional resume/ business card exchange .# Goals areum, I dont genuinely know.

A 23 year old single bartender living in the nations capital: a demographic I currently fall into which I have come to find out is few and far between. Im not are participating in grad school, I didnt move here to be with a significant other, I dont have a set career track. My day-to-day activities dont involve long commutes on the Metro, responding to emails in record-setting days, or lunch transgress with co-workers at thefood truck outside of the office

My schedule is long and not the most glorious, but I dont allow myself to complain. Ok, maybe the ocassionalIm tired AF stop talking to me, comment, but its a life I choice for myself.

I lately was offered a full period 9-5 gig. Benefits, an entry level salary, a smart selection. One that would have certainly removed me from the uncommon demographic I have stumbled upon. One that would turn my 16 hour days into 9, one that would dedicate my loved ones a peace of mind that Im more financially and mentally stable.

I wanted to respond to the email with eagerness, but as my thumbs began to type the response, I hit backspace.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. I would love to acc-

Delete.

I politely declined the offer.

Im trying really hard not to sound like the cliche millennial with a~ go with the flow~ posture about my professional life because the truth is, I am very much looking forward to the day that I can afford to take weekends off. I cant wait to tell my mom that I landed a chore and be genuinely excited about it. I cant wait to look back and say to myself 😛 TAGEND

But, I want to be excited about it. Maybe the next chore I land wont be exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life, but why should I have to settle for something so farfetched from where I want to be to feel like I belong?

Its hard for some people to understand a lot of the choices I make, and its even tougher to explain them. But, Ive found that its best not explain them at all.

Just because I dont know exactly where this path will take me, at least I know its going to take me somewhere.

People call me crazy for running 3 tasks. To be honest, I could probably get by with only bartending full time if I wanted to. However, Id instead be living a life that encompasses all of my interestswhile getting paid for it. And if that entails running my ass of day in and day out, thats ok.

The stereotypical DC question to ask. Sometimes people are just genuinely interested, but other periods its to compare themselves.Its a question I get all of the time, usuallyas Im pouring a brew for them as they are in the midst of complaining about how miserable their task is. Its often an assumption that bartending is just for extra money, and for a lot of people it is. But for me, its not. At least for now.

I dont go into detail about my long days, because I know they dont really want to hear it. I used to feel like I had to explain myself and my situation often replying with 😛 TAGEND

Well Im just trying to figure out what I want to do so I run a few chores ensure what will fit best for me.

Who wants to get up at 4:30 am and finish the working day at 1am? Society would categorize us as: crazy, unhappy, and overworked.

Crazy? Perhaps. Overworked? At periods, yeah. Unhappy? Who says?

It would be taboo for me to say, This life I have chosen for myself attains me genuinely happy. Even if its the truth.

I moved to a new cityto for one reason: to create a new life. One that may be messy, depleting, and challenging at times, but I find happinessin the fact that I built it on my own.I may have to excavation beneath the several thousand dollars of rent payments, Uber charges, and shitty boys to find it, but its still there.

I shouldnt have to explain why this life constructs me happy, and neither should you.

Be good people and make healthy choices. Know your worth, but know youll forget your worth at times too, and thats OK. Learn from it. Parents, peers, and privileged strangers will tell you a steady careeris the key to happiness, which is fine, but dont let them define your the expected accomplishments and contentment if youre not in the same state of mind. Take each possibility presented to you and run with it. Whether that possibility involves asking clients how theyd like their burger cooked or traveling the world with Nat Geo( someday ), it doesnt matter. Every task, every shitty guy, every individual experience stimulates you more than who you were yesterday. And thats awesome.

My Tuesdays may be different from your Tuesdays, but its only a Tuesday. And I like Tuesdays. I hope you do too .